The biggest fantasy news of Week 6 broke on Monday morning, not Sunday afternoon. Jalen Hurts was diagnosed with deep vein thrombosis and bilateral pulmonary emboli and is expected to miss the rest of the 2026 season. The Eagles say his prognosis is very good, but blood-thinner treatment takes him off the field for months. That turns Philadelphia’s offense into a Tanner McKee operation, and McKee’s first start was a 25-14 loss to Carolina. Add a rookie receiver in Pittsburgh who just saw a dozen targets, a Jets wideout back from IR and a muddled Houston backfield, and the Week 7 waiver run has plenty to work with. Byes are over for the Bengals, Lions, Dolphins and Vikings, so your bench is about to get its starters back. Spend accordingly.
WAIVER WIRE
Quarterbacks
- C.J. Stroud, Texans (top priority, 10-15% FAAB). Stroud went 24-of-34 for 312 yards and three touchdowns in Houston’s 34-31 London win over Jacksonville, and he gets the Giants in Week 7 before the Texans’ Week 8 bye. He is a weekly starter in 12-team leagues right now and is still sitting on too many waiver wires.
- Tanner McKee, Eagles (superflex/2QB priority, 5-8% FAAB). McKee went 26-of-45 for 215 yards and one touchdown against the Panthers. That is not exciting, but volume is a skill in superflex, and he is now the starter for the rest of the year. Philadelphia’s backfield injuries mean he will be asked to throw. In one-QB leagues he is a bye-week fill-in only.
- J.J. McCarthy, Giants (speculative, 1-3% FAAB). McCarthy replaced a benched Jameis Winston in the fourth quarter and threw for 243 yards and a touchdown on just 21 attempts, nearly erasing a 34-10 deficit against the Saints. Jim Harbaugh has not named a Week 7 starter for the trip to Houston. If McCarthy gets the job, Malik Nabers, who caught 12 of 15 targets for 165 yards on Sunday, gets a significant upgrade.
Running Backs
- Roschon Johnson, Bears (top RB add, 8-12% FAAB). With Kyle Monangai (toe/thumb) out again, Johnson carried 13 times for 51 yards and a touchdown and added 34 receiving yards on two catches in the 31-23 win at Atlanta. Chicago plays the Patriots on Thursday night, which shortens Monangai’s recovery window. Even when Monangai returns, Johnson has earned the No. 2 role behind D’Andre Swift.
- Dameon Pierce, Eagles (moderate, 5-8% FAAB). Pierce handled 12 carries for 35 yards and a touchdown plus four catches on five targets. The efficiency was poor, but Carson Steele left with a shoulder injury, Will Shipley and Tank Bigsby are on IR, and Saquon Barkley has missed two straight games with a hamstring injury. Pierce is the last healthy back with a role. Treat him as a volume flex play until Barkley practices.
- Jawhar Jordan, Texans (short-term, 2-4% FAAB). With David Montgomery (groin) out, Jordan turned six carries into 43 yards and a touchdown. Woody Marks still led the room with 15 carries for 56 yards, but Jordan was the more explosive runner. Montgomery is week-to-week and Houston’s bye comes in Week 8, so Jordan matters for one game against the Giants. Do not overpay.
- Kendre Miller, Saints (deep-league add). Miller led New Orleans with 20 carries for 70 yards in the 34-27 comeback over the Giants. Alvin Kamara had only seven carries but scored through the air. Miller has the early-down work, and the Saints host Pittsburgh in Week 7.
Wide Receivers
- Germie Bernard, Steelers (top WR add, 12-18% FAAB). The rookie caught 11 of 12 targets for 87 yards and a touchdown in the 26-19 overtime win at Tampa Bay. With Michael Pittman Jr. and Roman Wilson on IR, Bernard and DK Metcalf, who drew 15 targets of his own, are Aaron Rodgers’ two clear reads. That kind of target share does not sit on waivers twice.
- Omar Cooper Jr., Jets (strong add, 8-12% FAAB). Back from IR after an ankle injury, Cooper caught six of a team-high seven targets for 103 yards and a touchdown against New England. Garrett Wilson finished with 4-44 on six looks. Cooper has a Week 7 date with Miami, and his role looks secure.
- DeMario Douglas, Patriots (solid add, 5-8% FAAB). Douglas caught seven of eight targets for 86 yards and a score as Drake Maye threw three touchdowns. Romeo Doubs left with a shoulder injury after his 42-yard touchdown, so Douglas’ role could grow on a short week against Chicago.
- Jaylin Noel, Texans (upside stash). Noel turned four targets into 107 yards and a touchdown in London. The volume is thin, but he is Stroud’s vertical option and keeps winning downfield. He is a bench stash for managers who can absorb the Week 8 bye.
Tight Ends and Defense
- Isaiah Likely, Giants. Theo Johnson was inactive, and Likely took over with six catches on 11 targets for 99 yards and a touchdown. Monitor Johnson’s status. If he sits again, Likely is a top-15 TE play.
- Darnell Washington, Steelers. He caught four of six targets for 25 yards and a touchdown and is becoming a red-zone outlet for Rodgers. He is a touchdown-or-bust streamer, but a live one.
- Browns D/ST. Cleveland held Baltimore scoreless after halftime in a 13-10 win and draws the Titans in Week 7. That is the top stream of the week.
Drop or Stash Calls
- Drop: Eagles pass-catchers beyond DeVonta Smith and Dallas Goedert. Smith (7-75-1 on 14 targets) and Goedert (6-61 on eight) are still usable. Nobody else is, with McKee averaging under five yards per attempt.
- Hold, do not panic: Chargers starters. Los Angeles is 0-6 after scoring six points in Kansas City, and Harbaugh said the offense needs to be addressed. A coordinator change could shake up usage, but cutting proven players at the bottom is selling low.
DFS PLAYS
Value Plays Whose Price Should Lag the Usage
- Germie Bernard vs. New Orleans. Twelve targets came on a day when Metcalf drew 15. Salary algorithms price in the past several weeks, not one breakout, so Bernard should remain affordable relative to a near-alpha target share.
- Roschon Johnson on Thursday vs. New England. If Monangai is ruled out again, Johnson projects for double-digit carries plus passing-down work in an offense where Caleb Williams went 30-of-36 for 305 yards in his return from a hamstring injury. Check the Thursday injury report before locking him in.
- Omar Cooper Jr. vs. Miami. A team-high target share on an IR-return week usually means a price set for a part-time role. That gap should close quickly, so use it this week.
- Kendre Miller vs. Pittsburgh. Twenty carries is workhorse volume at what should be a backup-level price. He has limited receiving upside, so he fits cash lineups better than tournaments.
Sit or Avoid
- Eagles stacks. With McKee under center for the rest of the year and a patchwork backfield, Philadelphia scored 14 points at home against Carolina. Only Smith has standalone appeal.
- Chargers skill players. Six points against Kansas City and open talk of fixing the offense is not a pool to build around until the scheme stabilizes.
- Woody Marks at full price. Fifteen carries for 56 yards with Jordan out-producing him per touch is not the bell-cow profile his recent pricing suggests.
Injury Situations That Open a Role
- Philadelphia backfield: Barkley, Steele, Shipley and Bigsby are all hurt, which leaves Pierce. Watch Barkley’s practice participation this week.
- New England WR2: If Doubs’ shoulder keeps him out on the short week, Douglas and Hunter Henry (4-48-1) absorb the looks. A.J. Brown drew 10 targets but caught only three, so keep expectations in check there.
- Houston backfield: Montgomery’s week-to-week groin keeps Jordan in play as a cheap tournament dart against a Giants defense that just gave up 34 points to New Orleans.
The theme of Week 7 is opportunity over pedigree. Bernard, Cooper, Johnson and Miller all earned volume on Sunday that their price tags and roster rates have not caught up with. Move on them before Wednesday’s waiver run and before Thursday’s salaries adjust.
See today's NFL lines on DFS Lines, each one set against the player's last ten games.